CAMPUS FEAR

Amid recent claims that a female security guard on duty at The University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona Campus was robbed and assaulted at gunpoint, students have reportedly become increasingly fearful.

Although there has been no official police report on the alleged incident, a student told The Gleaner that reports about the assault began circulating in a students’ WhatsApp group around 9 p.m. Tuesday.

Prior to that, there had been occasional reports of criminal activities occurring on the university campus.

Among those reports are accounts of students being held up and robbed in the vicinity of the National Commercial Bank (NCB) and Scotiabank ATMs, which are located on campus.

“We’ve been hearing of persons being held at gunpoint at NCB and Scotiabank,” the student confirmed.

“But I guess because persons have never come forward and say, ‘It was me who was held at gunpoint’, so it’s really more he-say, she-say. We’re not sure exactly what has taken place.”

However, speaking with RJR News yesterday, Dr Donovan Stanberry, campus registrar at The UWI, confirmed that students were robbed in the vicinity of ATMs across the campus over the weekend.

He said the management at The UWI was reviewing its security arrangements in relation to deployment.

“We’re going to have to focus on those areas where our students are vulnerable, particularly at nights, around the ATMs, which you know are obvious targets, and so on. And we’re going to step up our own patrol,” Stanberry told RJR. “We do have an elaborate security architecture on campus involving private security, that is King Alarm, and the Mona police, so we have to look on our resources and see how best we can deploy them strategically in the areas.”

Last night, however, the student with whom The Gleaner spoke said the police are not visible even when allegations are made regarding criminal actions.

“No, I don’t see the police here. I just see the campus police’s vehicles. So honestly, the feeling is, like, one of anxiety because at the end of the day, classes can be late. Some of my classes end at 8 p.m., and I have to walk on campus alone. So living on campus really spikes the anxiety because you never know what could really happen or who’s watching you.”

As a result of this uncertainty, the student said she changes routes every day when walking late on campus.

Based on the reports that continue to surface, in addition to the incidents that have bee confirmed to have taken place on campus, the student said the security arrangements are inadequate.

“Yes, the security is inadequate because it really has me questioning, what exactly am I paying for?”

The student argued that with all the miscellaneous fees being paid at The UWI, in addition to tuition, the situation needs to be improved.

“If we’re paying all this money and not feeling safe, what exactly are we paying for?” the student argued.

Also speaking with RJR News, Guild President Perry Cummings Jr accused the administration of being tardy in its efforts to improve security.

However, following a meeting between students and The UWI yesteday afternoon, Cummings said that he was cautiously optimistic after the administration had committed to increased patrols and communicating more effectively with students.

editorial@gleanerjm.com